Keeper of the Stars
by GrayBlueEyedBelle
Summary: We were always told that stars are souls that have lived out their lifetimes, finding their way to heaven to finally rest and watch over all that they love. But when evil comes to harvest the souls, binding them to soluble commodities for ruin's own bidding, draining the raw energy one bears to grant absolute sovereignty - who's to save them from being wiped from existence forever?
1. Chapter 1 - A Stranger in the Night

It's a day just like any other at the Fairy Tail guildhall: full of life and roughhousing as a manic guild-wide brawl has broken out. The day has just broken into twilight, the sun's glow the only faint light watching over Magnolia as clouds begin to roll in, the scent of rain flooding the streets. A hooded figure approaches the sizeable wooden doors of the guildhall, only feet away, gazing upon the purple letters positioned just above them. With the stranger's face hidden from sight, a soft, feminine whisper breathes out, "I've finally found you… Fairy Tail…"

**Chapter 1: A Stranger in the Night**

The shadowy figure steps up to the twin oak doors and raps on the one to her left with a determination unlike any other. No response. A second attempt is made and yet there is still no answer. The stranger sighs heavily, now deterred from her objective. A thought of procrastination fills her mind just as she's about to turn and head back in the direction she came, with hopes of a better shot tomorrow. When suddenly she hears a large crash and within milliseconds is thrown across the ground, a heavy weight plowing straight into her.

"Damn! That kinda hurt!" the unknown female hears from the weight that just seconds ago viciously accosted her. She looks up, her weathered forest green hood falling back around her hair, to see a young man around her age in absolutely nothing, his head adorned with black, unruly hair, rubbing the back of his head, she is unable to see his face. As if planned, he begins to turn around, "hey, man! The hell are you doing just standing outside of Fairy Tail like a lump of-" he halts mid accusation as he realizes it wasn't a _man_ he fell into, but in fact a young woman approximately twenty years of age, if he had to guess.

"Shit!" he scrambles to stand up and reaches out to help her up. "I'm sorry about that," he begins, scratching the back of his head with his other hand. Raising a weary eyebrow he asks, "You okay?"

The female stares stunned and bewildered at this man who just came out of nowhere at incredulous speed and hit her with his entire body, about to accuse her of loitering, and then apologize suddenly as he gathered himself. She hesitantly takes his outstretched hand, not once looking away from his dark as night blue eyes. "I'm fine, thanks." she states, uncertainty written across her delicate features as he helps her stand. Her Alice blue eyes fall to his right pectoral muscle and they instantly light up, "you're from Fairy Tail!" She exclaims with hope etching itself into her eyes and broad smile.

"Well yeah. I _did_ just come crashing out of there on top of you, because of some flame-brained asshole and a gorilla "manly" man who neither know how to butt out of other people's business!" she notices the latter of his statement wasn't directed at her but rather the gaping hole in the door leading into Fairy Tail. He turns his attention back to her, "what were you doing out here just standing around for anyway?" he asks casually, still not taking any notice to his absent attire.

The young woman tries to keep her eyes on his, or the scenery around them, not desiring to look any further south than his toned abs, "um, well," she begins with a hint of awkward laughter in her voice, "I tried knocking, but no one answered. I was hoping to speak with your guild master if he's in today…" She trails off, a neon red blush spread across her entire face, as she has accidently glanced south, if only for a split second.

"First of all, you don't 'knock' in Fairy Tail. Secondly, yeah, he's here. And really, it's nothing to be embarrassed about," he states with a raised brow, still unaware of his lack of clothing. The female then turns to him in a crazed astonishment, her left eye twitching slightly.

A smile creeps onto her face, unable to keep from finding the situation nonesuch but amusing. She raises one hand promptly to her face, her dainty fingertips barely meeting her subtly amused lips as she raises her other hand a bit, her index finger and middle twirling around in spirals and zigzags in a vain attempt at directing the attention downwards in his direction. Her eyes look anywhere but into his as a petite blush dusts her cheeks, her jaw tightening with every second that passes turning her smile into a pursed grin. The male still has yet to catch onto her airy attempt to enlighten him of his blatant nudity. As he isn't accustomed to females acting quite so nonchalant when it attains to his bizarre stripping habit, he hasn't the slightest clue as what to think of this strange woman's behavior and what it's supposed to mean, 'Is she doing some sort of hand puppetry?'

Only mere seconds pass further along and the young woman realizes that the naked male before her is still quite naked. Her odd gestures cease and her lighthearted facial expression distorts and morphs into one of apprehensible puzzlement, raising an almost worrisome eyebrow, "uh, dude? Are you seriously _that_ unfazed by the bree- ah!" Her sparkling pearly blue eyes widen, her hands clasping one another over her mouth as she gasps with mortification. "Oh my gosh… I'm so sorry," a tiny smile tickles the corners of her lips as she makes the connection and decides to now just give the poor guy hell. After all, he was about to accuse her of loitering outside of the guildhall like some creep, not to mention he is taking his sweet time to acknowledge the validity and reasoning behind her non-verbal cues. "Are you…" she trails off, lowering her still clasped hands to hover just over her busty chest, now donning a believably pseudo-sympathetic air about her, "are you paralyzed… Below the waist?" She moves her right hand to motion to his lower-middle bodily region, encompassing his _business_, for lack of a better term, without diverting her inspection upon his readying expressions.

Gray's eyes practically bulge from their sockets before giving her an exasperatedly uncouth glare, 'What the hell is this chick talking about?!' He thinks crossly as he slowly begins to move his head down in order to look at what the hell was on him that she must be thinking about, yet can't help keeping his hardened stare on the female. His gaze finally detaches from hers and grapples with the realization that this entire time it was he who was the ass.

She chuckles lightheartedly into her fist, and further realization dawns on him that she knew he – in fact – was _not_ unable to use his God-given glory. "Shit! I'm so sorry," he stands firmly planted where he is and sees her fist still slightly covering her amused smile, now heartily laughing into it. He pulls together the best straight face he could manage after fully embarrassing himself in front of a prospective new guild mate, "would you mind loaning me your underwear…?" he trails off questioningly, warranting a name from the female.

"Christine." She smiles empathetically at the poor guy before her. "I'm sorry about before, but seriously. You had it coming," she chuckles again and then suddenly gains a determined and thoughtful look directing nowhere in particular, "and though it has always been my sworn duty to help any lost soul in any way shape or form in their time of need," she pauses for a moment holding her fist still to her heart, a deep pink tint to her cheeks, "I'm afraid I am unable to be of any help in this certain instance…" her eyes shift to the ground below her and her hand falls before she looks back up at him with an apologetic expression, halfheartedly attempting to smile.

He looks at the female before him in disbelief, 'She was actually going to do it? No chick ever even gave it a thought… Or is she just messing with me again?' He internally debates. 'Wait!' "What does that mean?"

The young woman known now as 'Christine' looks on, dumbfounded, 'Is he stupid or something?' "Uh, how do I put this simply," she states in mock difficulty, "I'm not wearing any, nor do I have any on my person."

The young man slowly nods, his eyes gaping, looking over her form, as her cloak fell behind her and is only holding on around her neck with the delicate hot pink ribbon tied together from long ago. He notices for the first time her features- her voluptuous yet perky breasts (definitely out-boobing any female he's ever known, including the females in Fairy Tail), her noticeable hourglass figure, her porcelain heart-shaped face, her beauty mark on her left cheek, adjacent to the bottom of her perfectly rounded nose, her incomparable icy blue eyes, her long, cascading ombré pale-honey blonde curls softly changing into a platinum blonde, almost white, at the tips, and lastly her plump, almost pout-y pink lips. For all intense of purposes, she was stunning, like the first rays of sunshine peeking through the dark clouds after a long, torrential downpour. 'Almost like an angel…' He notes mentally, in practical disbelief.

Christine clears her throat with a deep blush spreading further across her cheeks, fully aware of his lingering eyes, "so, any chance you'll tell me your name? Since, you know, we've become so acquainted and all," she smirks innocuously.

Her voice snapping the raven-haired young man out of his wandering thoughts, he adverts his eyes away from hers, a small almost unnoticeable blush creeping across his cheeks, ashamed of his intrusive ogling, "uh, oh, right," he turns back to face her, regaining his composure, "Gray. Gray Fullbuster." She gives him a kind smile, her eyes having lost themselves in making such a genuine expression. "Hey, so, you said you wanted to join Fairy Tail, right?" Gray asks nonchalantly.

Christine's eyes almost pop out of her head she's opened them so quickly, "yes! That's right!" she answers, her smile having grown into that of a full-fledged grin, nodding her head.

"Well, come on. I'll take you to Gramps." He nods his head towards the doors as he makes his way back, just so happening to find his boxers hanging from a broken fragment of the door. He looks back to see she hasn't moved and holds a worry-stricken expression on her face as she looks to the guild's name hanging above the doors. He gives a faint smile, clearing his throat to get her attention, "we don't bite." He chuckles, "unless you want us to," a flirtatious smirk now present across his lips as his eye brows cock themselves towards her. She shakes her head, freeing the worry from her mind, giving Gray a chuckle in return as she approaches him and he opens the doors to the unrelenting chaos inside. Christine's eyes go wide as she turns to look at Gray for some sort of clarification. He responds with a small chuckle to her amusing expression, "You want to join Fairy Tail, don't you? Well this is it."

He begins to make his way through the hustle and bustle that doesn't cease or falter for anyone, not even a newcomer. Christine follows closely behind him, falling more and more behind as people keep pushing and shoving, knocking her around with them. Gray looks back to see Christine has officially been swallowed by the sea that is his guild mates and goes back into the violent crowd to fish her out. He sees her trying to gently push an enraged Elfman off her as his attention is currently occupied by an angry Nab, and keep her footing as she's being pushed even more into Elfman's back by both Macao and Wakaba's backs. He can't help the laugh that escapes his lips as he watches her struggle to be polite and also stay alive, not to mention seeing the multitude of facial expressions she switches between. Gray finally goes in and takes hold of her hand and pulls her away from the three men unintentionally pinning her down. "If you want to be a member of Fairy Tail you'll have to grow a backbone and fight back, even if they are your guild mates," he states with an entertained smile as he blocks a flying chair from hitting them with his other forearm.

Christine just nods with a determined and focused look, "backbone. Check." Gray successfully pulls Christine from the cloud of dust and smoke that is magic and the users of which and releases her hand as soon as he feels she's pulled herself together from the tugging and his tight hold. She notices he stops a moment and picks something up – realizing in seconds it's his pants as he swiftly pulls them on. He leads her towards a bar where a bantam old man sits cross-legged atop the bar counter, with his arms folded and eyes closed. She then sees a stunning young woman who looks no older than herself behind the counter preparing dishes of food on a large brown platter. The first thing Christine notices about her are her bright, almost innocent deep oceanic blue eyes, 'Wow… She's so pretty…' The woman's hair is white, almost silver, and cascades in waves down her back and over her shoulders with a small ponytail holding up her bangs, 'Hmm… That's an interesting hairstyle.' Christine then turns her attention to the elderly man with white as snow hair and a strange jester/animal-ear looking hat in stripes of orange and electric blue sitting atop his head, while he wears a rain jacket in the matching orange color and a white t-shirt beneath it. She can't help but tilt her head to the side and squint a little with a slight furrow to her brow; Looking at the old man feelings of Déjà-vu flood her memories, but with nothing coming to mind she decides to shrug it off.

The minute they approach the counter the young woman looks up with a winsome smile that immediately brightens more, if possible, the second her eyes land on Christine, "Oh, Gray! Who is this?" Her voice is sweet as sugar, just as her personality seems to be. The master peeks out of his left eye to see the new face behind the Ice-Make wizard as well.

"Hey, Mira. This is Christine," Gray motions to the blonde with a reserved expression, indicating to Mira that the female doesn't seem to be someone Gray knows very well, and more than likely just a girl looking to join their guild. Christine smiles warmly showing off her grin lines and tiny dimples, tilting her head to the side as she does so, and gives a diminutive bow. "I found her just standing outside the doors anxiously contemplating whether to come in or not," he smiles jokingly as he glances over to Christine to see her quip her head around to him with offence in her eyes and protest on her O-shaped lips. She sees he was giving her a hard time and snaps her mouth shut, softening her expression into a playful glare and side-scrunched smile-pout. He turns his attention back to the whitette and pocket-sized master, "I thought I would introduce her to Gramps, out of courtesy, you know?" His gaze adverts to the side as he runs his hand through the back of his hair, purposefully avoiding eye-contact.

Mira giggles tenderly, "Well I hope you didn't scare her with your peculiar stripping habit, Gray!" she chuckles as she walks back into the kitchen behind the bar before Gray can defend himself.

All the while Makarov looks into the young woman's soul, 'I was wondering when her presence would make its appearance here once again.'

The new-comer's face heats up as suddenly she feels his intense gaze upon her, bashfully wringing her hands under her cloak as her head tilts down and her eyes peek up at the man at the bar. Her right eye is shaded further by her side swept bangs, but the two can tell her line of sight is focused directly on the small master, "If it isn't too much trouble, yes, I would like to request to join Fairy Tail. Oh!" as if a light bulb clicks above her head she whips open the right side of her cape, regaining her composure and begins rifling through her cross body purse for something. The purse looks no larger than a composite reference textbook. Christine pulls out a white envelope, apprehensively approaches the master and hands the letter to him with a frail bow, "I was given strict instructions to give this to you upon my very arrival. Though, I'm told to have you read it in the privacy of your own company," she states with a stoic expression but wide and wondering eyes.

Grabbing hold of the letter the master inspects the parcel, dread filling his entire soul and being while he eyes the girl up and down with a raise of his brow as if evaluating her ability and potential from there, "hmm. And I suppose you possess magic, correct?" Asking the obvious and receiving her nod of agreement he proceeds, "can you guarantee that you will not abandon your duties as a wizard of Fairy Tail nor betray any one of its members?"

"Yes, but of course."

With one last once-over, 'it very well seems that the child has no recollection of her history here…' He beams goofily giving a thumbs up, "welcome to Fairy Tail!"

* * *

**Author's Note: Welp, there it is, guys! The first freaking chapter! FINALLY! I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this, though... Maybe it's my constant need for perfection in everything that I do, or maybe the idea that nothing I do is ever good enough. Ha ha ha, hm, well whatever it is, here it is. The second one should be up soon, say, within a week or so, if life decides to give me lemons. Oh! And speaking of lemons… *evil smirk* Future chapters will most certainly contain lemon-y goodness between two specific dirty birdies.**

**Gray: What'd you call us?**

**Me: Dirty. Birdies.**

**Christine: *whispers* I think she's trying to rhyme and sound funny at the same time…**

**Me: QUIET, NAVE! YOU WILL BOW TO MY EVERY COMMAND!**

**Gray: Geez, who's got your panties in a bind? … Oh, that's right!**

**Me: SHUT YOUR MOUTH! NO SPOILERS! ,**

**Christine: Wow, Gray. Way to make the author hate you. -_-**

**Natsu: When do I get to come in?!**

**Me: Next chapter, I promise! We should seriously go, though… Before we scare off the few readers that I have! T~T**

**Oh, and this story is rated M for later chapters. Children and audiences: be advised.**


	2. Chapter 2 - A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall

**Author's Note: So, life **_**didn't**_** give me lemons, but rather limes; so instead of being productive I made margaritas, apparently. So, I know I said I'd get this chapter out Sunday night, but me (being the imbecile that I am) had the brilliant idea to stay up all of Saturday night to work on this, and oh, guess what? I didn't get any work done! *gasp* I KNOW, RIGHT?! And then around 8 in the morning I tipped over in my bed and was out like a log. Why is that even a saying? What are logs "out" for, or should it be of? Ohhp, wait, I just figured it out! Wow, you guys are so smart! I learn something new every time I'm on here! And then I had to work on Monday, and even though I finished this chapter by early Tuesday morning, I still had some research to do before I could actually post it, because, well, I'm a Type A planning freak who needs to know these things beforehand! Thankfully I didn't have to work Tuesday and Wednesday, though. Whew, and that's why this is finally out. Anywhos! I just want to thank you all who took the time to follow little ol' me before I even posted this story, just from the little convos we've shared and my just mentioning of my story in passing. Y'all deserve a round of applause! *claps* AND COOKIES! *tosses warm, fresh, homemade cookies in air* I'm- So- Luckyyyyyy! *sobs* *music starts playing, indicating for me to shut my trap* AND I JUST WANT TO THANK THE WONDERFULLY ANGELIC REVIEWERS FOR THE UNFATHOMABLY HEARTWARMING REVIEWS I RECEIVED! YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST AND I LURV YOU ALL! ^/^ So here's ten pages on Word Doc!**

** Okay, enough with me, ON WITH THE STORY! WE RIDE AT DAWN!**

** Or now. We ride now.**

**Disclaimer: I owneth not thee, most beloved Fairy Tail. The End.**

**Natsu: WHAT?! It's the end already?! But you didn't even mention me! T.T**

**Me: Shut-! Up! *smacks with broom* The chapter hasn't even started yet! Now shush, and let it begin… *bows backing away, outstretching arm and smiling all mystical and mysterious like***

* * *

**Chapter 2 – A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall**

Christine isn't able to contain herself. Upon hearing the master's acceptance she lurches forward and glomps the tiny master, shocking not only he but Gray who hadn't left her side for whatever reason **(AN: I know why… *smug smirk* Gray: Stop interrupting! AN: But this is the first time! *whines* Christine: *clears throat* Uhm, Author-san, as much as I owe you- Gray: You owe her nothing, Christine. Natsu: Where am I? Everyone: SHUT UP! AN: Oh my gosh, this needs to stop. Gomen nasai, my readers!)** and thanks the petite man repeatedly, "thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou THANK YOU!" she catches her breath and releases the elderly man, unintentionally dropping him on his head on the counter in a daze, complete with swirlies in his eyes and all. She turns on her heel to Gray and bows to him, "and thank you so very much for your introduction," she comes back up with a demonstrative smile and proceeds, "if not for you I would have had the most unfathomably difficult time gaining acceptance into your guild."

Gray glances over her shoulder at the incapacitated guild master with widened eyes, still red in the face and steam radiating from the old man as the young woman smashed his face into her voluptuous chest, 'hopefully on accident,' Gray thinks with a sweatdrop. He looks back at the female standing before him with an awkwardly forced smile, "that's quite unlikely. Gramps hardly ever turns anyone away." Regaining his composure the Ice-Make wizard looks over the bar top in hopes of seeing the subsidiary barmaid, "Mira?"

As if waiting around the corner for her name to be called, she immediately pokes her head out of the kitchen, "yes, Gray? Oh, dear," she spots the master coming to, still a bit dizzy, and giggles before turning to the newbie, "I guess congratulations are in order, Christine. But first, where would you like your guild mark?" Mira riffles through a drawer and comes out from behind the bar, "oh, Gray, don't be rude! Take her cloak!" Mira scolds with a smile, but Gray could hear the threat behind the innocence, as he does as he is told. Christine unties the thick pink bow and hands her cloak to the male with a smile and a 'thank you'. As soon as she does this the two long-time members get a good look of the newcomer's body and outfit as her loose locks unfurl around her frame down to the small of her back and hips. She wears a pair of white distressed short-shorts and a pair of tan buckled wide-ankle thick, high-heel booties. For her top she has on a loose midnight blue sheer blouse, with the sleeves bunched half-way up her forearm, while both arms don bangles and bracelets of all shapes and sizes, all of which are either onyx or silver in color. The blouse's buttons stop a few inches below her bountiful bust, where they can see her black strapless bra-top through the blouse's light material, and the rest of the fabric hangs loose. A few necklaces of the same onyx and silver adorn the female's neck as well, sitting nicely on her plump and ample cleavage. The usually stoic and composed Gray can't help the lump forming in his throat from looking over the girl more than he would later care to admit to. All he can think is that he's glad that he's out of her line of sight, 'I- She- Her- Damnit! Get a grip, man.' He releases the breath as a huff he'd been holding in for the past minute or so unbeknownst to himself.

Turning her attention to Mirajane Christine contemplates for a moment, "well, I haven't given it much thought. Maybe you could choose for me? But someplace anyone can see it from a mile away and will know in an instant that I belong to the best guild to ever exist," a thoughtful smile playing across her lips as her expression looks distant, Mira looks on at the blonde, amazed by her love and spirit for Fairy Tail, especially for only being a member for no longer than an hour. A smile creeps its way onto Mira's lips as she nods, and if one wasn't looking for it, they wouldn't have known to catch the small glint in her eye. In a flash, the woman stamps Christine on her right breast with such ferocity it leaves a red mark around the illuminated and glowing stamp and also makes the cellulite and tissue in the breast bounce. Before Christine is able to react to the sting of the hit, out of nowhere a voice from above is heard.

"Woah! It shook like a bowl full of fish guts!" her eyes dart upwards and nearly burst from her head upon seeing a little blue cat. With wings. TALKING. Her mouth drops to the floor, the pain in her breast long forgotten. Her gaze shifts suddenly to Gray who just looks on amusingly.

"Hello, Happy!" Mira greets with a wave and a sweet smile. Christine quickly looks over to Mira, still the same expression across her face. Seeing her surpassingly stunned visage Mirajane can't help but laugh, "I'm sorry, Christine, this is Happy," the itty blue cat flies down and lands in the blonde's hands. In the background Christine hears something about an 'Ice Princess' and a 'Fire Face', but takes no heed to the bantering or the consistent wrestling she knows is the guild behind her.

The glow from Christine's stamp finally fades and the color that's left isn't exactly a simple color, "oh, wow, look, Master," Mira calls behind her, but when she turns she sees that the sneaky master has long-since left for his office, presumably. With a mental shrug she turns back to the guild mark and ogles at it, "it's so beautiful. I haven't seen one like it in years," her voice trails off sadly. The mark, though similar to everyone else's in shape, doesn't hold a _single_ color, but rather multiple. It's made to look like the universe with its violets, midnight blues, blacks, and pink colors, not to mention the specks of white glimmers representing the stars. What's even more interesting about the guild mark is that it isn't a still color, either. It's as if the mark is a looking glass into the universe. At some points the three onlookers are able to see meteors shooting across the mark upon the newest Fairy Tail wizard.

'It looks like brother's…' Christine swallows the lump in her throat and feels it pulling her heart down with it to the pits of her stomach. She clears her throat as if ridding herself from sudden torment, "I assume this isn't normal?" the woman shakes lightly with giggles, gripping the still ogling Happy in her arms.

"Nope, but it sure is pretty!" the furry blue cat sings, poking the guild mark gently with dancing eyes. "Hi, I'm Happy!" He directs his attention to her eyes with a raise of his paw and a grin that reminds Christine of an old fairy tale her brother read to her. The cat, more specifically, as he always smiled. Though unlike the fairy tale she remembered as a child this tiny cat's smile is innocent, dripping with kindness, whereas the other cat – the Cheshire Cat, she recalls – his smile was laced with riddling secrets and hidden alternatives.

"Well, hello there, Happy," the young woman begins with a 100-watt smile from ear-to-ear, "my name is Christine, and might I say," she giggles, "you are absolutely precious!" Her embrace tightens as she snuggles him up to her chin and face.

Mira can't help but erupt in a fit of tender chuckles as she holds her hands over her heart, "well it looks like Happy sure has made a new friend," she watches on as Happy nuzzles his head into the crook of Christine's neck with his arms outstretching, attempting to hug the female.

"Hey, who are you and what are you doing with Happy?" Hearing a roar of the little blue feline's name, Christine turns around looking like she's been caught red handed to see a young man engulfed in flames and eyes as sharp as diamond cut daggers drilling holes into her soul. She takes a small step back as he approaches her, seething with anger. The entire guild hall settles and everyone watches on as they feel the spike in the male's magical energy, indicating that he isn't messing around.

"Natsu!" Mira scolds with a stern expression, stepping slightly in front of Christine who still clings to Happy, worry written across her porcelain face. The barmaid holds out her arms at her sides as if to protect the young woman.

Watching Mira's actions helps none in calming Christine's nerves, 'what in the world…? Who the heck is this guy? Is he always this hot-headed? What did I do to piss him off so ferociously?'

"Natsu, get a grip! She's new he-" Feeling Happy wriggle free of her grasp snaps her back to the present just in time to see the pink-haired, scarf-wearing fire wizard send Gray flying into multiple tables across the other side of the guild straight into a booth. She ignores the hushed gasps throughout the parlor of wizards. Her worry aside, she sets a firm yet gentle hand on Mira's shoulder with a threatening glare directing at Natsu, "I can handle this on my own, Mira. Thank you," her voice drops to monotone as she steps out from behind Mirajane, stopping inches away from the pink-haired fire-wielder as he stops in his tracks as well, ready for a fight.

Natsu sniffs the air around him, his final sniff pointing in Christine's direction, "who are you?" he speaks slowly and between gritted teeth.

Christine snorts with a sarcastic smirk, "is this how you treat all new members to your guild?" Her words only seeming to upset Natsu further, he lunges forward with a fist full of flames aiming straight for her face. She makes no attempt to move and remains standing, firmly in place. _POW!_ His fist makes contact with her cheek as she's sent skidding back on her feet, still steadily planted on the ground. She stops herself with her hand to the floor, her head down and hair still falling to her sides around her. Standing up slowly, her eyes shaded by her bangs, the guild can see the large, ill-intent smile across her lips as she uses the palm of her hand to push her chin and pop her neck in one direction, then immediately in the other. "That wasn't very nice," she begins coyly, slowly walking back towards the man behind the fist, almost appearing to be levitating towards him, "hasn't anyone ever taught you to never hit girls?" Her eyes still shaded from her bangs, her sadistic smile grows in size with every word she laces with venom. She balls her fists up at her sides before continuing, "Because if you do," she looks up, only her left eye visible to Natsu now, unbeknownst to him her eyes have changed colors to a grassy green hue, "Don't cry when you lose! Sensorium Adscitus: Pupulus," she extends her hand out towards him, fingers spread wide, and with that Natsu's flames are extinguished and his eyes are as wide as saucers. She's entered his mind. Not intending on causing any real damage, she accesses his brain's movement and speech sectors.

Confused as to what's happening, the guild members focus all of their attention on Natsu, anticipating his next move, unaware of what Christine has done. They all heard her command, but have yet to piece everything together. All of a sudden Natsu jumps up into the air and everyone's heart stops – preparing for the worst, when the flame-eater belly flops onto the wooden floor, imitating a fish out of water. Whether the members of the guild either fell over or burst into tears of laughter, everyone was certain that no one was expecting that. "Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle! Beat-bo~x," Natsu began shouting from his position on the floor, "poop, poop, poop! I like to poop," he was now singing while spinning on the top of his head, his arms outstretched, shaking his butt as he spins in circles. The entire guild couldn't contain their laughter, everyone was hunching over with tears in their eyes.

Christine lets out a few giggles and sputters of laughter when she finally decides to let the poor guy go. She steps back a few feet with an amused smile lingering on her face, waiting for him to sit up. When Natsu finally does so, she quickly inhales through her nostrils and places a fist to her nose, her eyebrows raised – she was about to bust a gut laughing, but she thought it would just add insult to injury, so she used this action to contain herself. 'He looks like a little kid!' Natsu sits with his hands between his half-crossed legs, looking away, pouting with a fierce blush. She steps up to the male and outstretches her hand with a cheesy smile, but when he looks to her and her hand he huffs and turns away.

The young woman's face puffs up with a frown and a heated glare, "hey, dude, I don't know what your problem is, but you don't have to be such a dirt-bag," crossing her arms she turns away, peeking out of the corner of her eye, waiting for him to do or say anything. With a heavy sigh after a minute of silence she plops down cross-legged in front of him with a stern expression, not angry, just focused, "hey, look at me."

"Who the hell are you and what are you doing here?" Natsu turns around on her, animosity written all over his face, Christine feels the putridity he has for her bore straight into her eyes, but the pain she feels claws at her heart.

Her head falls, her eyes shadowed once more by her bangs, silence engulfing the air; the tension felt is so thick it could only be pierced with a knife. Her voice steady, unwilling to show emotion, Christine finally responds, "Does my presence bother you that much? I don't want to be a burden. I never have," she whispers the last part under her breath, not intending for him to have heard her, but with his dragon senses he picked it up. "I'm a wizard who needs a home – a purpose. I've spent the last five years of my life searching for you – for this place… _Fairy Tail_," she finishes, her voice low. Not hearing any sort of response from the spiteful elemental wizard, she looks up, forcing the tears that fought to spill back to see Natsu grinning from ear-to-ear.

"Well then, welcome to Fairy Tail!" He exclaims with a thumbs up before he jumps to his feet, arms in the air, "wow! That's some magic you have there!" His hands place themselves behind his head as he continues to grin. She begins to pull herself up, a smile creeping to her lips as she dusts herself off and stares, in a mixture of bewilderment and relief, at the strange young man before her. "So what kind of magic is that?" His eyes are big and puppy dog-like as he wonders curiously.

Christine chuckles, but before she's able to respond a chair is thrown at Natsu's head from out of nowhere, knocking him to the ground dramatically, "what the hell, Natsu?" Turning, she sees Gray marching over to them with a deathly aura about him, but as soon as he approaches the spot where Natsu once stood he turns to Christine and instantly calms, "hey, are you alright?" standing inches from the young woman he stares down into her Alice-blue eyes, searching for any sign of anguish.

"Uh," blinking twice in shock she hesitates before answering, "Y-"

"What the hell is wrong with you, Natsu?" Gray shouts, interrupting Christine once again, as Natsu jumps back up, fists aflame.

"What the hell did I do?" He demands defensively shouting, ready to punch his childhood opponent in the stomach.

"You punched Christine in the face," Gray yells, deflecting the punch and delivers a punch of his own straight to Natsu's jaw.

"Hey, gu-"

"Who's Christine?" having tried once again to affirm her state of well-being, she immediately snaps her mouth shut at Natsu's response, looking like she was just slapped in the face.

"Don't play dumb, Fire Fart! I know you are, but you can't be that dimwitted! Her," holding a hand out towards Christine, he looks back with a tenderness she'd almost forgotten existed, just as soon as it came he turns back to the opposing male with rage in his eyes that she couldn't understand. "_This_ is Christine, you moron! When Erza finds out about this-"

""When Erza finds out" about _what_," comes a commanding yet elegant voice above everything else. The guild falls silent as the pathway to the front doors part, giving way to a magnificently armor-clad redhead, walking straight for the three of them with authority and power exuding from every inch of her being.

Christine wastes no time with her dimwitted reflex of a response, "eh?" Paying no mind to everyone else cowering and sweating bullets at the mage's dominating presence, she once again goes unheard and overlooked.

"Er-Erza, you're back," the two previously butting-heads bulls now mimic one another, surely unintentionally as their postures fold to cowardly sulks as they hold their breaths for her to speak.

"When I find out _what_, exactly?" She approaches the threesome, only glimpsing over the other female for a mere second before interrogating the males with her icy fierce glare.

"No-nothing, Erza, sir!" They both stutter, saluting the young woman, approximately Christine's age or so, whilst standing up straight before her. Christine can only look back and forth between the two now seemingly spineless young men and the aggressively dignifying woman, clueless, but with a look as if she has something to say.

Erza folds her arms and looks to be contemplating which person were to be her sacrificial lamb for the night, like a huntress on the prowl, "Gray," her eyes focus on the navy blue orbs of the Ice-Make wizard, her tone threatening and demanding all in one.

Letting out a barely audible sigh he lowers his head slightly in defeat, "Natsu hit a girl…" glaring at the other male beside him from out of the corner of his eye.

The entire guild almost all pales, watching the scene unfold. Erza's head drops, shadowing her face, a purple and black deathly aura radiating around her. Natsu gulps and his eyes widen in terror. He raises his hands in front of his face in defense, backing away slowly with a nervous smile plastering itself to his face, "n-n-now, Er-Erza," his voice trembles as feverishly as his body, "d-don't do ah-any-th-thing y-you're going t-to r-re-gret…" and in the blink of an eye he turns to make a run for it, but an armor-clad hand grips his shoulder, holding him in place. Not daring to turn around he looks from the corner of his eye, hoping not to see the redhead or his impending doom. Erza looks over Natsu's shoulder, seemingly 8-feet tall, or maybe it's Natsu that is now only 2-feet tall in her vices. Face hidden in the shadows of her carcinogenic purple and black aura, her left eye shaded by her blazing red bangs as her right eye glints a specific bloody red – possibly from all the other riffraff's carnage she heretofore exacted, reprimanding them for their insolence and crimes.

Unsure how, Christine senses herself sink into her stomach, feeling like nothing more than a house mouse – the size and all. 'This gladiator lady makes me feel insecure,' sobbing crocodile tears mentally as her head baubles up and down and all around she doesn't realize her most recent predator is already making their move towards her. Feeling a muscular arm wrap itself around her waist and pull her into a fluffy? embrace her eyes go wide in utter terror as the hand's fingertips gingerly caress a bare section of skin just above her shorts at her hip. The sensation of spiders crawling up her spine paralyzes the freshly acquired fawn in her aggressor's clutches.

"Hey there, a beauty such as you doesn't need to be witness to such a gruesome scene," inhaling a sharp breath Christine looks up to see another young man with short, choppy orange hair and tinted glasses, wearing a large green parka. Her fear lost, she tilts her head to the side, "why don't you and I get out of here?" he shoots her a flirtatious smirk and a womanizing wink.

Not reacting to his perversions she just stares at his face, inspecting every detail with the most extreme scrutiny. Slowly opening her mouth to form a small "o" shape, she ponders more before finally speaking as her eyes land on his mop of brilliant orange hair, "cat…"

As it is now his turn to look terrified, he quickly releases her from his palming and looks to be mimicking Natsu when Gray told Erza he punched a girl. Backing away slowly with only a few steps he wastes no time in turning and booking it in the opposite direction, leaving behind a clueless and now somewhat insulted Christine.

~ ~ ~ Meanwhile ~ ~ ~

Gripping the worn and crinkled letter in his cold, dry hands, the Fairy Tail guild master sits at his desk, his head hanging low, the lights in the office: dead as the elderly man wishes weren't a relative matter of life. Thunder and lightning crashing outside the window situated just behind his desk chair, Makarov allows the weight to pull at his heart and the anguish to crash around him, suffocating him in the wrought of depression that life so cruelly twists the fates of those in need of faith the most. 'Oh what wicked lies we weave, when we practice to deceive,' Replaying the letter over and over again in his head the master is unable to keep the tears from leaking from his swollen, red eyes.

~ ~ ~ Flashback to moments ago ~ ~ ~

"What a looker!" Makarov snickers with a dirty smile as he plops down on his executive chair behind his desk, "another sexy wizard for me," he sings cheerily, spinning in his chair like a 4-year old, hands clasped behind his head. Finally coming to a slow, winding halt, the master sighs heavily, the dread once more crashing in around him, he reaches into the inside jacket pocket and pulls out the letter Christine so generously offered up to him upon her arrival, 'so, this is it,' Upon further inspection of the parcel Makarov Dreyer notices the slight unraveling of the adhesive film of the fold from the outside layer of the envelop at the top edges, as if someone desired access to its contents countless times over the course of many years. With a morbid smile, his heart plummets for the umpteenth time in just the past hour alone.

Encircling the waxed crest with his index finger, a small, forest green magic seal appears, hovering inches above the letter in hand. A tall, medium-built figure sits in the circle in a hospital chair, legs crossed and hands folded near the figure's chest, elbows resting easily on the arms of the chair. By the shape of the figure it's no mystery they're a man. He tilts his head up, his glasses glinting in the bright, unabashed sunlight coming from all around the man, a serene smile present on his lips, 'he always wore the same smile, no matter the situation.' The man's neatly combed chestnut brown locks shining from the purity of the sunshine.

"How's it been, Old Man? Long time no see, aye?" Leaning forward with a tender chuckle he lowers his hands to his lap, uncrossing his legs. Disposition drastically switching to a more serious one his gaze hardens, "I'm sorry to inform you that if you're receiving this letter, Gramps," taking an unsteady deep breath as he looks to his left to that which the letter's field of vision did not capture, his eyes soften. His gaze falls for a split-second and darkens with a whirlwind of putridity, desperation, anxiety, sadness and readiness all in one as he swiftly lifts his head back up in conviction to look at where the master would be while holding the envelop in his hands, "I'm dead." …

~ ~ ~ End flashback ~ ~ ~

The tears come down like the rain outside: flooding with sorrow from loved ones lost. Makarov thanks the heavens he decided to lock the door behind him after finding his way here, to the same place where he thirty years ago accepted the first child into the Fairy Tail guild. "I'm so sorry, my son. I was not there when you made your final departure from this precious world. I promise to keep her identity a secret from the others until she sees fit to disclose that information on her own," he says to the stillness, taking a frustratingly morose, deep breath, "and I, too, swear to keep her from discovering the truth about herself, just as you wish."

* * *

**Author's Note: DUN DUN DUN! Whew! That was a marathon, guys! I feel like he could have dropped the "I'm dead" bomb a little less subtly, don't you? *sarcasm* I'm going to be quite honest with you all: I'm almost certain that if my mouse scroller worked, my motivation to write would be off the charts! Is that lazy of me? :/ I mean, when you get to so many friggin' pages and have to drag your mouse allllll the way over to the scroll bar and then try and get your spastic hand to cooperate and get a hold of the tiny little scroll bar and then drag it alllll the way in whatever which direction you need to go… I'm just saying, if my scroll-y thing-y worked I would be set. But it doesn't. So I'm not. So I suck.**

**Anywho, there are a few things I feel I should inform you all of before we go any further…**

**1) This story takes place a few months before Lucy comes in, but will soon be following the story's timeline;**

**2) Gray and Christine's relationship will develop over time, so be patient! I will supply fruity goodness eventually! *3^ But I will have more one-on-one time with them along with the coming chapters;**

**3) For the story's sake the characters are older, not time-skipped or whatever, mind you, just older;**

**4) I am psychotic, and usually when things come to my mind they are put in here;**

**5) I **_**do**_** have another FanFiction account (two, technically), so if you get bored one day and have nothing to do and kind of actually enjoy my randomness and odd humor, I strongly suggest going to go check those out, if you want to, I'm not twisting anyone's arm or anything! – the links can be found on my profile;**

**6) My brain is broken, so I apologize now for any disturbing, elicited advice or just any grammatical error you may come across – I also don't know words;**

**7) My right toe is bigger than my left toe… Wait, no. … I think it's the other way around;**

**8) There will be other pairings along the way! Muawhahaha;**

**9) Oh! UPDATING! I plan on updating regularly- on a set schedule, but we all (readers and authors alike) know how **_**that**_** goes over…;**

**10) Reviews are like crack. I NEED THEM TO LIVE! Okay, so you don't really need one of those to live… But still! They mean the world to me! And if you guys enjoy the story just drop a little review! It's not that hard, y'all! Even a little "Love it! Update!" whatever, is perfectly acceptable! Seriously, guys. Throw me a bone here;**

**11) I have not read/watched past the Fantasia Parade, so please no spoilers, and yet I've already spoiled so much crap for myself by reading other fanfictions T_T, but it was worth it! Kinda…;**

**12) I feel like there was something else urgently important that needed addressing here also… Hm, oh well. I'll figure it out. *missile launches from White House and blows up the moon* Oops. It wasn't me… YOU CAN'T PROVE ANYTHING!**

**Author's Note P.S.: Oh my gosh, you guys! I'm dying I'm laughing so hard! This conversation I had with my friend just now via text! I hate phones so much! *wipes tears away* I just have to share it. This is what my friend's iPhone gave her in multiple blocks from my single text:**

**Me: (#1) s the best my broken brain can do right now. *squinty upset emoji* *think straight-up Natsu grin-looking emoji***

**(#2) a flat $80 (which sounds like a lot, but oh my gosh it's well worth**

**(#3) Crap… Way to go, *insert self's name*. Forgot to put "I'm" before "broke", and now you sound like a butt fart.**

**(#4) Kanye West should be. Okay, that wasn't funny or clever, but that'**

**And that's all. BAHAHA! iPhones honest-to-God HATE me with a fiery, burning passion unlike any other hatred I've ever experienced! Maybe they're just showing me the same hatred I have for Kanye West, Beyonce and Jay-Z. Gross. And that's why I don't use iPhones! Yay me! Anyway, sorry, I thought I'd share this with y'all for a little laugh. Maybe. Hopefully.**

**Gray: You just don't know how to shut up, do you?**

**AN: WHY YOU LITTLE-! GET OVER HERE AND I'LL TEACH YOU! *shoves ball gag in mouth* Bwahaha! How about a little fifty shades, Gray?**

**Gray: Yar oght harney!**

**AN: Bahahaha! I'M HILARIOUS! Christine! *ties up Gray to a bed***

**Christine: *walks in* Gray?!**

**Gray: Harr!**

**AN: Christine, take this! And go **_**play**_** with your man.**

**Christine: Eh?! But-**

**Gray: *spits out gag* Christine… What are you going to do with that?**

**AN: Will Christine succumb to the beck and call of Author-san, or will she finally grow a backbone and stand up to the ugly wench and save her beloved Gray? Tune in next time to see out what happens! … Wait, that "ugly wench" is me! Who wrote this?!**

**Natsu: I'm a butt-hole!**

**AN: *face palm* Yes, Natsu, we all have butt-holes.**


End file.
